Feinberg-Mngomezulu moved to bench as Springboks name changes for Cape Town rematch
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been dropped to the bench for South Africa's rematch with New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday after an indifferent performance in the series opener, which the All Blacks won 33-16 in Johannesburg.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu was turned over five times in possession and was occasionally exposed in defence before being shifted to full-back in the second half of the first Test, a tally of errors that prompted head coach Rassie Erasmus to make a change. Erasmus, reflecting on the opening match, said: "There were a handful of positives and negatives last week, but the main thing that let us down was that we created so many chances, but mistakes at crucial times cost us. "We'll put in a lot of work this week to ensure that we are sharp in that regard this weekend because if we had used even some of those chances, the result could have been completely different."
Erasmus has recalled 32-year-old Handre Pollard at fly-half, describing a direct selection change at number 10 following the Johannesburg defeat. Injuries to Cheslin Kolbe and Grant Williams have led to Ethan Hooker and Cobus Reinach being drafted into the starting XV at wing and scrum-half respectively. Siya Kolisi may return to the back row after recovering from a hamstring problem, with Paul de Villiers named as a named back-up at blindside flanker should Kolisi not be ready. Thirty-nine-year-old Deon Fourie, who came off the bench to play 77 minutes of the Springboks' 2023 Rugby World Cup final win over New Zealand, has been named among the replacements and could win his first cap since that occasion.
South Africa's starting XV to face New Zealand is: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Hooker; Pollard, Reinach; Nche, Marx, Louw, Etzebeth, Nortje, Kolisi/De Villiers, PS du Toit, Wiese.
The named replacements for South Africa are: Fourie, Steenekamp, T du Toit, De Jager, Esterhuizen, Hanekom, Van den Berg, Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
New Zealand may hand Richie Mo'unga an immediate Test recall as they chase a 2-0 lead in the four-match series marketed as "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry", after Mo'unga's return to New Zealand rugby with Canterbury and the Crusaders and an injury to Billy Proctor opened a path back into consideration. The 32-year-old, who was first-choice fly-half during the 2023 Rugby World Cup but had been ineligible while playing in Japan, will start at 10 in Tuesday's match against the Johannesburg-based provincial side the Lions. Mo'unga said: "I'm competitive; I want to be the best. "I know that there's a process to that, and at this point in time, the process looks a bit different around preparing someone else [All Blacks' current first-choice fly-half Ruben Love] to be the best. "I'm really competitive, but I'm also a team man. Whoever gets the role, gets the role, and if it's not me, I'll do anything I can to help them succeed. "This game was always coming for me. There was always going to be a return. I wasn't sure when it was, but mentally I've prepared for my return in the black jersey, and I'm ready."
New Zealand's team to face the Lions is: B Barrett; Fineanganofo, Ioane, Tavatavanawai, Narawa; Mo'unga, Hotham; Lauaki, Taukei'aho, Tosi, Darry, Tuipulotu, Sititi, Blackadder, Ta'eiloa. Replacements: Slater, Tu'ungafasi, Ma'u, Hannah, Lakai, Preston, Jacomb, Lienert-Brown.
South Africa travel to Cape Town to meet New Zealand on Saturday, while New Zealand will play the Lions in Johannesburg on Tuesday.